AN: Thank you to everyone who is reading this. Reviews would be nice, but at least I know people at reading.
On another note, I told you book two was going to be short? Yeah like 3 chapters long. Long chapters, but only three. I've already started book three, and it's ten chapters long and that's only the beginning, so I hope that'll make up for it.

Chapter 10
Cassie

Jake and I left Marco's shortly after settling Ax back into bed. I was already going to be late for my curfew, and Jake was nice enough to walk me half home, which was going to make him late for his.

"Did you tell Marco about what Erek said?" I asked him once we were a ways away from Marco's house. Crickets chirped around us as dusk started settling into night.

"No." Jake sighed, "I- I'll give it a day."

Erek had gotten some information earlier. Visser Three had moved into a human host, who he couldn't tell us, while the Andalite host was being held in a cage in a well viewed area of the Yeerk pool. Every security device we knew of, and probably some we didn't was being used. Every controller had been given a Dracon Beam, and all new infestations were being held off. Only controllers who needed to feed were allowed access into the pool. It was almost impossible for the Yeerks to get in, let alone have five of us try.

I sighed sadly, "We're going to lose him."

"Don't say that Cassie!" Jake exclaimed, alarmed.

"High fevers, migraines, seizures. Jake I can't find anything that matches. Why doesn't morphing fix it? Is that the part that got mutated? Can we get it?" my throat closed up, and I felt the tears fill my eyes.

Jake sighed, bringing us to a stop under a street light. He grabbed me in a hug and I snuggled against his chest, letting the tears fall.

"We'll figure it out." He said softly, "Either one symptom will give it away and you'll realize what this is, or the Yeerks will find out, which we'll hear through Erek. If we know what it is, we can help."

"What happens if we can't?" I asked softly.

"You did brain surgery on Ax, I'm pretty sure you can cure whatever this is, as long as we know what it is."

I sniffed. I wanted to believe him, but seeing Ax in a seizure, having that... Pain, traveling through thought..

I felt tired all of a sudden.

"Come on. You still have to get through your lecture." Jake said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, comforting, but a little awkward considering how much taller than me he was.

He said bye to me, a little over halfway to my house and I continued on my own. It took me another fifteen minutes to get home, lost in thought. My parents were waiting, not yelling, but lecturing in that disappointed tone I hate. I said I was sorry, that Jake and I were hanging out, but that he had walked me half-way home, it relaxed them a bit. They had a bit of a soft spot when it came to Jake, something to do with how mature he was I suppose.

They told me that next time I was grounded, to make sure to call, that's why they bought me a phone. I said I was sorry again, grabbed my cold dinner, and headed to my room to study a bit before bed.

After I settled down to bed was when I let myself think about Ax again. I felt like crying, my friend was sick, really sick, and he was so far from home...

A couple of tears fell, and it took a while for me to fall asleep.

I don't remember what I dreamed of, but I do remember sitting up in bed, covered in sweat, wondering at what woke me up.

A buzzing noise.

I listened, holding my breath as whatever it was, buzzed again. Then I remembered: my cell phone.

I jumped out of bed, racing to my bag, taking it out. Noticing that it was passed twelve I saw Jake's number light up the screen.

"Hello?" I said softly, after accepting the call.

"Hey Cassie." he said, just as quietly. He sounded grim, and completely stressed out, "I was wondering. Think maybe we should hang out soon? Like really soon? We can clean out your barn or something, I just-" he paused, I heard him take a shuddering breath, "I really need to see you."

"Yeah." I said, going to my bedroom door, making sure my parents weren't up, "Yeah, come on over anytime."

"Thanks." and he hung up.

Something happened. My heart pounding, I grabbed a sweater and moved silently out into the hall and crept downstairs to grab my shoes and headed to the back door. If my parents caught me, I could just say I couldn't sleep and went to check on the animals.

I turned on the lights, scaring some of the animals. I went around cooing to the ones who were scared, checking all their cages, filling water and food where it was needed.

It wasn't long before a peregrin falcon fluttered through the rafters and onto the ground. Jake didn't say anything as he demorphed, as his skin appeared he was pale, and as his morphing finished he was shaking, reaching forwards and grabbing me in a tight hug.

"Jake? What's wrong? What happened?"

"I-I know where Visser Three is." he stuttered, leaning into me as I hugged him.

"How?" I asked.

"It's Tom." he continued.

"What?" I gasped, "How do you know."

"That feeling. Tom's Yeerk acts like a teenager.. Even my parents were uneasy around him."

"Jake, maybe the Yeerk was just upset-"

"No... No Cassie. That feeling came off of him. His whole mannerism was different, he acted like we were beneath him, as if he was entertaining us all night. Nothing about the Sharing, no idiot brother stuff we pretend to do." He was shaking so bad I was afraid he was going to fall.

"Come on, sit down." I said.

"What am I going to do?" He asked, "I can't do anything. Erek can't call, I don't even want to talk in code, I'm too scared. Visser Three will notice, what am I going to do!?"

"Just breath. You're right, no weird stuff. But don't suddenly act perfect either. Act like you would any other time. I'm sure you got in trouble tonight."

"What about Ax?" he asked softly.

"Don't worry, we'll deal with that. If you think Visser Three is at your house, then I believe you."

"My whole family is in danger, we're in danger, and I can't do anything." he muttered, seemingly ignoring, "All he needs to do is give one order and we're all infested. Then he'll find out, and-"

"Jake! Stop, don't panick. You need to keep your head honey."

He turned to look and me before bringing his hands up to cover his face, and in a blink of an eye, Jake straightened up, lowering his hands his face was wiped clear again. Another mask.

"Why would Visser Three pick Tom?"

Jake shrugged, "I don't know." he sighed, "This really isn't good Cassie." he whispered.

"I know. But maybe Visser Three is in Tom because he doesn't want to draw attention, he's not going to stay in Tom, he'll want lay low until he finds a better host, or Alloran get's better."

"I hope you're right." he said, taking my hand in his, running his thumb across the back.

"So do I. Just be careful. Do you want me to call Marco?"

Jake shook his head, "I'll tell him tomorrow, it's too late now."

"Oh, so it's okay to wake me up?" I asked, smiling at him.

He smiled back, winking, "I knew you wouldn't mind."

Later on in the night, after Jake had left, I settled into bed with a small smile, despite all the things that were happening.

I didn't see the others until lunch. Marco was slumped over in his chair, looking exhausted. Jake didn't look much better than Jake. Rachel was chatting away, mostly to herself, looking refreshed and perfect, as usual.

"Hey Cassie." she said, smiling at me as I sat down, "So Tobias filled me in on Ax, and Jake told me his news. Anything you'd like to add?"

"I failed my last Spanish test?" I said, making her laugh, tossing her hair. I swear, this guy a few tables back drooled.

"Well, it's better then their news." she said, pointing at the boys.

Marco tossed her a glare, "Look, if you want to criticize, maybe you should come over tonight?"

"Enough guys." Jake sighed as Chapman walked by. We fell silent.

"This really sucks!" Marco exclaimed, and Rachel tossed him a look this time, "We're sitting here like ducks, and we know it, and still we can't do anything. One of us out of commission, the enemy is sleeping in our homes-"

"Enough!" Jake snapped, keeping an eye on Chapman, "Look I know, I understand. But we can't do anything right now, so just stay quiet."

Marco fell silent, and just picked at his food.

Marco was right, I had never felt so helpless as this. With Ax sick, and Visser Three right at our door steps, I was expecting controllers to burst through the door and drag us away at any moment.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and for a moment I hesitated. I wanted to ignore it, knowing it was only going to be more bad news. I nudged Jake, and pulled out my phone, he leaned over, covering me from view of teachers.

"Cassie, it's Erek. Look, Ax is getting worse. I can only get his temperature down a few degrees, and it goes back up faster than I can bring it down."

"Oh god." I whispered, looking at Jake.

"Cassie, when he wakes up he hasn't been lucid. To be expected, but he poured his whole heart out to me. Cassie, he thought I was his brother. And it hasn't been just once, every time he wakes up, he continues where he left off. It's almost like he's lucid, except- well, he's not."

"I-I'll see what I can do-"

"I don't think theirs much, I figured.. To prepare you."

"Thanks." I said softly, hanging up the phone.

I swallowed and looked at Jake, keeping my eyes locked on him as I quietly told the others.

Marco put his head in his hands, and Rachel covered her mouth with her hands, "Fuck.." she breathed. The bell rang for class, but none of us moved. Finally, Jake sighed and stood up, "There's nothing we can do. Right now, Erek is the best to take care of him. A couple of hours and we'll head over."

"I should get Tobias first." Rachel said, getting up as she grabbing her bag.

Silently, Jake and I walked to class together. Silently, he took his hand in mine as we sat in our desks and held on through the full hour.